Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center

Florida brings to mind dolphins and manatees. Out of these two, manatees seem more mysterious as they are harder to spot. If you hope to catch a glimpse of this gentle creature, head to the Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center.

You will be glad to know that parking and the center itself are free.

The plant discharges clean, warm water into the canal and the manatees come there to escape the colder waters. The canal is actually a state and federally designated manatee sanctuary.

There they are. Do note that the manatees are not always in the canal, so there is no guarantee that you will see any. Manatees reside in Florida only during the winter months and migrate North in summer.

The center is open from November to mid-April but the manatees’ migration patterns vary. This year visitors have reported that the manatees had already left by March as the sea water had warmed up by then.

I just can’t get enough of baby manatees. Manatees are herbivores and love seagrass and everything green.

The manatee breathes through its’ nostrils and gets up to take air even when sleeping, every 7 to 20 minutes.

If you are going to boat in Florida, you need to observe manatee areas carefully. It would be a disaster to hit one of these cuties.

Have you ever seen manatees? What are you favourite aquatic creatures?